Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

1 recipe pastry cream
bananas-3-4 (ripe, but not mushy)
vanilla wafers

Make the pastry cream. Place a layer of vanilla wafers in the bottom of dish, then 1/3 of pastry cream.  Slice bananas on top. repeat layers, ending with a thin layer of pastry cream over the bananas so they will not turn brown.  Slide some vanilla wafers around the edge of the pudding.  Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate.

PASTRY CREAM

3 c. milk (not skim)
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 T. all purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar (or Splenda if you wish it sugar free)
4 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp. salt
4 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. heavy cream, whipped (optional)

Separate eggs and save (or freeze) the whites for another use. In a medium sized saucepan, stir together 2-1/2 cups of the milk, sugar, & salt. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch, flour, and egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup milk. Whisk some of the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture until smooth. 

This will temper the eggs so they will not "scramble" when you add them to the rest of the hot mixture. Whisk the egg mixture into the hot milk and return to the stove. 
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in the butter and vanilla. 

Place plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream and refrigerate until cool. Fold in the whipped cream into the cooled mixture. Use this cream to fill eclairs, cream puffs, or
as the 'pudding' layer for banana pudding, or to fill tart shells.

Note: This recipe can be used so many ways. One of my favorites is to pipe a small amount into a tart shell, press in one slice of a perfectly ripe banana and cover it with
the cream. The banana flavor will infuse into the cream. Garnish with a smidgen of whipped cream and a banana "chip" for presentation.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue